ARLINGTON- The Miami Hurricanes have two defensive tackles in the 2018 NFL Draft. RJ McIntosh and Kendrick Norton are mid to late projections with a lot of upside. Norton is the son of Oakland Raiders Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton
The first thing that fans will notice is Norton’s size. He is a 6-3, 312 pound physical freak. Unlike McIntosh, Norton has the proper build for a defensive tackle much like Dontari Poe. His size is both a strength and weakness. He lacks great speed and running backs that are elusive will give Norton problems. He is able to take on multiple blockers and push past them with his strength alone. Once he gets a hold of a running back or quarterback, there is no escape. He shows the ability to make great reads defensively.
Norton should probably lose a few pounds so he is more able to keep up with elusive runners and quarterbacks. The last thing Norton wants to do is be beat by a running back that can suddenly change direction. Other than these few glaring weaknesses, he is a good run stopper and pass rusher. The potential to be an all time great is within his grasp. He may not be an immediate starter, so drafting him between rounds four and six would be ideal. He is a bit of a project but with proper coaching and patience, Norton can be developed into a dynamic pass rusher and run stopper. There is no reason to assume Norton will be a one year project and that’s it. He looks more like a two-year project with starter potential written all over him. He may not start until 2020 but he worth the time and investment. Norton recorded 26 tackles last season, 14 solo tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss . Norton recorded 84 total tackles in his collegiate career, 18 of them were tackles for loss.